Bean-sorting machine.



H. M. HOEL & F. KIENE.

BEAN SORTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13. 1915.

PatentedSept. 5," 1916. I 5 SHEETS-SHEET I mam-WE i'z'iyzecses H. M. HQEL & F. KIENE.

BEAN SORTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 13. 1915.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, 1727/63202? f/Mf/OQZ H. M. HOELY& F. KIENE.

BEAN omme MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-13.1915

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

{rSHEETS-SHEET 3.

.. PHOTO-THO wAsmNcraN. n c

H. M. HOE L & F. KIENE. BEAN SORTING MACHINE.

APPUCATION FILED SEPT- 13. I915. 1 197,027, PatentedSept. 5,1916.

7 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

DIID

, Q Hr m5 NuRms PETERS cc. Pnamurnm. WASHINGTON, n n

T iquu zzzzesses H. M. HOEL & F. KIENE.

BEAN SORTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 13, 1915- 1,197,027 Patented Sept; 5, 1916.

' 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

HOWARD M. HOEL AND FRANK KIENE, F FRAZEE, MINNESOTA.

BEAN-SORTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

Application filed September 13, 1915. Serial No. 50,306.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, HOWARD M. Horn. and FRANK KIENE, citizens of the United States, residing at Frazee, in the county of Becker and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bean-Sorting Machines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

- and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention has for its object to provide a highly eflicient machine for sorting beans and similar articles which, when in perfect form, have smooth surfaces, and which, when in imperfect form, have shriv-eled or rough surfaces, and to such ends, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a right side elevation of the improved machine: Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same: Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the improved machine, some parts being bro-ken away and some parts being shown in section: Fig. 4: is a fragmentary detail view of one of the sorting aprons and driving roller therefor: Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the improved machine, some parts being broken away: Fig. 6 is a detail view in section taken on the line as M of Fig. 8, on an enlarged scalez'Fig. 7 is a detail view in vertical section taken on the irregular line :0 m of Fig. 5: Fig. 8 is a .view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section taken on the line a 00 of Fig. 1 Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of the leg of the vibratory frame and connected portions of the bean distributing devices, some parts being shown in section: and Fig. 10 is a transverse section taken on the line m 09 of Fig. 9.

The numeral 1 indicates a frame work made up of vertical and horizontal timbers rigidly bolted together and from which frame, the parts of the machine are sup- Y ported, either directly or indirectly. Y'Vithin the frame 1 is mounted a plurality of inclined sorting belts or aprons 2, located, one directly above the other. As shown, there are five of these sorting aprons 2 and each thereof runs over an upper or driving roller 3 and a lower or driven roller 4. The driving rollers 3 are provided with trunnions 5 journaled in divided bearings 6 the fixed members of which are rigidly bolted to the uprights of the frame 1 at the rear thereof. The two members of each bearing 6 are con nected by hinge joints 7 and a thumb nut equipped bolt 8. Obviously, by separating the members of the bearings 6, to release the trunnions 5, the rollers 3 may be independently removed from the frame 1 or applied thereto.

The driven rollers 4 are provided with trunnions 9 journaled in boxes 10 slidably mounted in yoke like bearing brackets 11 for movements toward and from the driving rollers 3. These bearing brackets 11 are rigidly bolted to the uprights of the frame 1 at the front of the machine and their free end portions extend into notches,.cut completely through said uprights. By thus mounting the boxes 10, it is possible to independently apply each roller 1 in working position or remove the same therefrom by a radial bodily movement, which movement carries the boxes 10 into or out of the hearing brackets 11.

Beans or other articles are prevented from rollingoif from the separating aprons 2, at the longitudinal edges thereof by endless flanges 12 formed by hemming or otherwise rolling the longitudinal edges of said aprons and placing therein a cord or similar filler 13. The longitudinal edges of the separating aprons 2 are also folded, outward upon themselves, to bring the flanges 12 on the outer face thereof.

' Longitudinally spaced pairs of V-shaped brackets 14: are riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the folded longitudinal edges of the separating aprons 2, outward of the flanges 12. In each pair of brackets 13 is mounted a spacing rod 15 which extends transversely over separating aprons '2 above the flanges 12. The purpose of these spacing rods 15 is to keep the separating aprons 2 stretched so that they will be free from longitudinal Wrinkles or ridges. By locating the brackets 13 outward of the flanges 12 and the spacing rods 15 above the separating faces of said aprons, said brackets and rods do not interfere in any manner whatsoever with the separating action of the aprons. The ends of the spacing rods 15 project outward of the brackets 13 and during the lower or reurn travel of the separating aprons 2 said projecting ends of the rods 15 travel on rails 16 to take the sag out of the separating aprons 2 and also relieve the same from the weight of the brackets 13 and spacing rods 15. As shown, the rails 16 are constructed from angle bars, rigidly secured to the frame 1.

Long adjusting screws 17 have screw threaded engagement with the transverse portions of the bearing brackets 11 and their inner ends engage the sliding boxes 10 to hold the driven rollers 4 in different adjustments from the driving rollers 3. Ohviously, by manipulating the adjusting screw 17, the tension on the separating aprons 2 may be varied at will. The upper run of each separating apron 2 travels over an upwardly inclined deck 18. These decks 18 are supported at their lower end portions on angle bars 19, secured to the brackets 11 and their upper end portions are supported on angle bars 20, secured to the uprights of the frame 1 at the rear of the machine.

The following connections are provided for driving the upper rollers 3, and hence, the separating aprons 2 and lower rollers 4. A driving belt, not shown, runs over a large pulley 21 keyed to a short horizontal shaft 22 journaled in a bearing bracket 23 rigidly bolted to one of the uprights of the frame 1. Also keyed to the shaft 22 is a spur pinion 24 which meshes with a spur gear 25 keyed to the left hand trunnion 5 of the lowermost roller 3. This trunnion 5, at its outer end, is journaled in a divided bearing 26 of the same construction as the bearings 6 and has keyed thereto, a beveled gear 27 which meshes with a bevel gear 28 keyed to the lower end of an upright shaft 29. The shaft 29 is journaled in bearings 30 rigidly secured to the frame 1 and has rigidly secured, for rotation therewith, a plurality of vertically spaced bevel gears 31, which mesh with bevel gears 32 keyed to the left hand trunnions of all of the rollers 3, with the exception of the lowermost thereof. The above described driving connections operate, to simultaneously drive all of the rollers in a direction to cause the upper inclined surfaces of the separating aprons to move upward.

It has been found, in actual usage of the machine, that if the lower rollers 4 are driven independently of the separating aprons 2, said aprons will keep smoother, which is necessary to obtain the best results from the machine. As one means for driving the rollers 4, we have shown yielding belts 33, each of which is formed from a sin gle coiled spring. There is one of these belts 33 for each pair of rollers 3 and 4 and it runs in grooves 34 formed in the left hand end portions of said rollers. Obviously, these yielding belts 33 adjust themselves at the time the rollers 4 are adjusted, with respect to the rollers 3'.

A. rectangular vibratory frame 35 including a bean delivery spout orleg 36 completely surrounds the separating aprons 2 and the upper portion of the frame 1. This frame 35 is located at the center of the machine and extends transversely of the separating aprons 2. The lower horizontal member of the frame 35 rests directly on a pair of wide flanged rollers 37 journaled in bearings 38 secured to the frame 1. The

upper horizontal member of the frame 35 works between pairs of laterally spaced cleats 39 secured to the frame 1, and which cleats hold the frame 1 in an upright position.

Beans are delivered into the upper end of the leg 36 through a flexible spout 40 leading from a hopper storage bin or other source of supply, not shown. The lower end of the spout 40 is telescoped onto a casting 41 which forms an upward extension of the leg 36 and is secured thereto by a clamp 42. From the leg 36, beans are delivered through discharge ports 43 formed in said leg to distributing devices which, in turn, discharge the beans over the upwardly moving inclined surfaces of the separating aprons 2, transversely thereof. There is one of these bean distributing devices for each separating apron 2, and each thereof comprises a main trough 44 having a plurality of upright parallel partitions which extend longitudinally therethrough and divide said main trough into a plurality, as shown, four relatively narrow troughs 45. At the receiving end of each main trough 44, the side flanges thereof abut against the leg 36, while the bottom thereof is extended into said leg through the respective port 43 to afford a shelf or ledge 46 on which a portion of the beans fall in passing through the leg 36. On the bottom of each main trough 44 is an extension 47 which engages the adjacent wall of the le 36 and together with the side flanges of the main trough 44, hold said trough interlocked with the leg 36 against endwise movement, but with freedom to be lifted therefrom. The outer ends of the main troughs 44 are detaohably secured to s the frame 36 by nut equipped bolts 48.

The receiving ends of the troughs 44 terminate short of the leg 36, leaving the main troughs 44 their full width at the leg 36. The side flanges of the troughs 45 terminate considerably short of the outer ends of the main troughs 44 and inward of the adjacent longitudinal edges of the separating aprons 2 and form extensions of the side flanges toward the front of the machine of the respective trough 45. The purpose of these deflecting flanges 49 is to direct materials, passing completely through the troughs 45, transversely of the main troughs 44 and onto the separating aprons 2. In the bottom of each trough 45 is a discharge port 50, through which, beans are discharged onto the separating aprons 2. The discharge ports 50 of each group of troughs 45 are spaced transversely ofthe separatingaprons 2, as best shown in Fig. 2, in order to discharge the beans at different points on the separating aprons 2 and thus evenly distribute the same, transversely over said aprons.

Vibratory movement is imparted to the frame 35 and hence, the bean distributing Jdevices carried thereby, by a pair of cranks,

in the form of eccentrics 51, connected one to each of the horizontal'members of the frame 35 by eccentric straps 52 and pitmen 53. The cranks 51 are keyed to an upright crank shaft 54 which extends parallel to the shaft 29 and is journaled in bearings 55 secured to the frame 1. The crank shaft 54 is driven from the shaft 29 by a sprocket chain 56 which runs over a relatively large sprocket wheel 57 loosely journaled on the upper end of the shaft 29 and over a relatively small sprocket wheel 58 keyed tothe upper end of the crank shaft 54. A chain tightener 59 for the sprocket chain 56 is secured to the frame 1.

A common jaw clutch 60 is provided for connecting the sprocket wheel 57 to the shaft 29, at will. The loose member of this clutch 60 is cast integral with the hub of the sprocket wheel 57 and the sliding member thereof is keyed to the shaft 29. This sliding member of theclutch 60 is actuated by a long shipper lever 61, intermediately fulcrumed at 62 to the frame 1 and-is held in its two extreme positions, by a lock bracket 63, also secured to the frame 1.

Each main trough 44, between the leg 36 and respective troughs 45, is closed by a cover plate 64. The inner ends of these cover plates 64 are bent upward and rigidly secured to the leg 36, one above each port 43, and the outer ends thereof are bent downward to afford gates 65 which Work vertically in the main troughs 44, just in front of the troughs 45. Each gate 65 is normally held closed by a coil spring 66 compressed between the respective cover plate 64 and an overlying bracket 67 rigidly secured to the leg 36. Thumb nut equipped bolts 66 are provided for holding the gate 65 raised, to regulate the flow of beans into the troughs 45. These bolts 66 are passed through alined perforations in the cover plate 64 and bracket 67 and through the coiled spring 66. The side flanges of the main trough, between the leg 36 and troughs 45, are considerably higher than the flanges outward therefrom, to increase the holding capacity of the main troughs 44 at their re ceiving ends and thus always afford a sufficient supply of beans for the troughs 45.

Good beans delivered onto the upwardly moving inclined surfaces of the separating aprons 2, owing to their shape and smoothness, will roll downward on said aprons and over the rollers 4. All bad beans have shriveled surfaces, hence will not roll, and

together with broken beans will be carried upward on the separating aprons 2 and delivered over the rollers 3. All good beans drop into an open bottom hopper 68 secured to the front of the frame 1, near the bottom thereof. From the hopper 68, the good beans drop into the lower end of an elevator leg 69 and are carried upward therethrough by a slat and belt conveyer 70 and discharged into a bag, not shown, through a spout 71 on the leg 69 and having a bag holder 72 se cured to the discharge end thereof. A sliding gate 73 is mounted in the spout 71. The

lower end of the conveyer 7O runs over sprocket wheels 74, journaled in the lower end of the leg 69 and the upper end thereof runs over sprocket wheels 75 secured to the intermediate portion of a long shaft 76, journaled in bearings 77 on the leg 69 and in bearings 78 of the same construction as the bearings 6. The bearings 78 are secured to brackets 79, which in turn, are secured to the uprights at the front of theframe 1.

The elevator 70 is driven by a long belt 80 which runs over a pulley 81 on the right hand trunnion of one of the rollers 3 and over a pulley 82 on the shaft 76. The good beans discharged from the separating aprons 2 are directed into the hopper 68 by a pliable curtain 83 and secured to a rectangular frame84 by separable fasteners 85. The frame 84 is secured to the' frame 1 and holds the curtain 83, spaced outward from the rollers 4 to afford a passage way for the good beans, in dropping into the hopper 68. By making the curtain 83 of pliable material, it prevents the beans from bouncing, when striking the same.

The bad beans, delivered over the rollers 3, drop into an open bottom hopper 86 and pass therefrom into a receptacle, not shown, placed under said hopper, or they may be disposed of in any other suitable manner. Located in front of the rollers 3 and spaced outward therefrom, is a curtain 87 of the same construction and serving the same purpose as the curtain 83. This curtain 87 is also secured to a' frame 88 carried by the frame 1 and is held thereon, by separable fasteners 89. The bad beans passing over the rollers 3 are directed into the hopper 86 by the curtain 87.

Located under each of the rollers 3 and 4, except the lowermost thereof, is an oblique deflecting board 90 having convergingend cleats 91, which boards and cleats direct the &

The rails 16, in addition to supporting the separating aprons 2 during their lower run,

hold the same against edgewise movement by the engagement of the ends of the rods 15 with the vertical flanges of said r'ails.

What we claim is 1- 1. A sorting machine of the kind described, including upper and lower traveling separating aprons, a distributing device located over each of said aprons and arranged to discharge beans transversely thereover, and common means for supporting and vibrating said distributing devices.

2. A sorting machine of the kind described, including upper and lower traveling separating aprons, a leg, and a distributing device working over each of said aprons, the distributing device for said upper apron having an extension projecting into said leg for intercepting a portion of the beans in passing through said leg.

3. A sorting machine of the kind described, including a traveling endless separating apron, a vibratory frame through which said apron travels, a bean distributing device supported from said frame at each of the longitudinal edges of said apron and arranged to discharge beans transversely over said apron, and means for delivering beans to said distributing device.

4. A sorting machine of the kind described, including a traveling endless separating apron, a vibratory frame having a leg forming a part thereof, a bean distributing device carried by said frame and arranged to receive beans from said leg and discharge the same transversely over said apron, and means for delivering beans into said leg.

5. A sorting machine of the kind described, including a traveling endless separating apron, a vibratory frame having a leg forming a part thereof, means for delivering beans into said leg, and a plurality of troughs carried by said frame and arranged to receive beans from said leg and discharge the same at diflerent points transversely over said apron.

6. A sorting machine of the kind described, including a traveling endlessseparating apron, a vibratory frame having a leg forming a part thereof, a flexible spout arranged to deliver beans into said leg, and a plurality of troughs carried by said frame and arranged to receive beans from said leg and discharge the same at different points transversely over said apron.

7. A sorting machine of the kind described, including a traveling endless separating apron, a vibratory frame having a leg forming a part thereof, means for delivering beans into said leg, a plurality of troughs carried by said frame and arranged to receive beans from said leg and discharge the same at different points transversely of said apron, and a gate for regulating the flow of beans through said troughs.

8. A sorting machine of the kind de scribed, including upper and lower traveling? endless separating aprons, a vibratory frame having a leg with discharge ports and forming a part thereof, means for delivering beans into said leg, a plurality of troughs working over each of said aprons, carried by said frame and arranged to receive beans from the ports of said leg and discharge the same at different points transversely over each of said aprons.

9. A sorting machine of the kind described, including upper and lower traveling endless separating aprons, a vibratory frame having a leg with discharge ports and forming a part thereof, means for delivering beans into said leg, a plurality of troughs working over each of said aprons,

carried by said frame and arranged to receive beans from the ports of said leg and discharge the same at difl'erent points transversely over each of said aprons, the plurality of troughs for the said upper apron having an extension projecting into said leg through the respective port for intercepting a portion of the beans in passing through said leg.

10. A sorting machine of the kind described, including an endless traveling separating apron having hems at its longitudinal edge portions, and fillers in said hems, the outer edge portions of said aprons being folded outwardly upon themselves to bring said fillers onto the operative face of the apron.

11. A sorting machine of the kind described, including an endless traveling separating apron, and spacing rods extended transversely of said apron and secured thereto without obstructing the operative face of the apron.

12. A sorting machine of the kind described, including an endless traveling separating apron, and spacing rods extended transversely of said apron and secured to the longitudinal edge portions thereof, said spacing rods being supported bodily above the operative face of said apron.

13. A sorting machine of the kind described, including an endless traveling separating apron, spacing rods extended transversely of said apron and secured to the longitudinal edge portions thereof, said spacing rods being supported bodily above the- 15. A sorting machine of the kind described, including an endless traveling separating apron having hems at its longitudinal edge portions, and fillers in said hems, the outer edge portions of said aprons being folded outward upon themselves, longitudinally spaced pairs of brackets secured to the folded edge portions of said aprons outward of the hems thereof, a spacing rod secured at its ends to each pair of said brackets, and guide rails for supporting the spacing rods during the return of said apron.

In testimony whereof We afiiX our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

HOWARD M. HOEL. FRANK KIENE.

lVitnesses WM. EsPENsoN, L. OBERHAUSER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

